Office of Equity, Social Justice and Multicultural Education

Cultural Humility Workshops

Cultural Humility Workshop Series

Cultural Humility Part I

Cultural humility as path to educational equity Cultural humility, unlike cultural competence, does not assume an end point but a commitment to life-long learning. It is an approach that helps us create equitable institutions through the intentional practice of meeting others where they are, addressing power differentials, institutionalizing organizational consistency, and focusing on unlearning personal biases. This workshop will introduce participants to the core philosophy of cultural humility and initial steps for application.

Cultural Humility II: Institutional consistency, power, and privilege

This workshop will review the matrix of domination, power, privilege, and levels of oppression. We will explore how these dynamics become both internalized and institutionalized, as well as the long-term impacts on educators and students. Social justice self-care and action planning will conclude the day.

Cultural Humility Part III: Skilled dialogue and inquiry

Cultural Humility is conceptual framework and daily practice for moving organizations more deeply into equity. Cultural humility in practice requires the ability to engage in the process skilled dialogue, conflict transformation, identity negotiation, reflective praxis, and inquiry. It is not enough to have an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of these skills; a commitment and engaged practice is critical for social transformation and justice-based organizations. This session will focus on the skills and abilities required for inquiry and skilled dialogue with students and co-workers. What's more, we will explore what is required to create a culture of dialogue vs. discussion or debate and how best to engage more fully in shaping a culture of dialogue through classroom curriculum, diversity dialogue groups, and equity dialogue/core groups.

Cultural Humility Part VI: Negotiating identities and self-reflection

As an educator we navigate multiple identities, just like our students. Part of navigating identities is also acknowledging the role of power and privilege in each interaction. How we see ourselves and how others see us matters, as well as the messages we have internalized about our perceived identities. Cultural Humility requires an honest assessment of the role of power and privilege in our daily life, and how it shapes our interactions. In order to fully engage in equity, social justice, and culturally humble engagement we must not only recognize our privileged identities, we must understand how to negotiate them, name them aloud, and move towards alliship. This workshop will examine power and privilege in the academy, navigating personal identities, skilled reflective practice, and ally behavior.

Cultural Humility Part V: Transformational Conflict

Conflict is another essential process along the path to a deeper sense of cultural humility. Many conflict-facilitation scholars and practitioners argue that conflict is necessary and positive, and when appropriately handled, is potentially constructive. Conflict need not be viewed as a dysfunctional form of engagement or communication (Heisey, 1991; Kellett & Dalton, 2001). In fact, for individual and perspective transformation to occur, conflict is required (Mezirow, 1995). Indeed, conflict in the classroom and between co-workers is normal part of academy life. This workshop will explore the opportunities conflict provides and how to engage fully and productively with conflict situations from a place of cultural humility.